Storm to Dust
by Kenjiro Minami
Summary: Tawnystorm is deputy of Lizardclan. After their leader dies, this near-elderly warrior must now accept her nine lives and rule over her clan as best as she can. However, there are always obstacles, and one of these obstacles might end up driving her new clan into the dust. (Turning into a full length story.)
1. Chapter 1

**I'm sorry. The names in this story will wound** ** _super_** **stupid. ;-; I was given the name Tawny- to use as a prefix for the main cat of this challenge, and I didn't want to use the suffix -pelt because she's already a character, and nothing else sounded good. ;-; I trieeeddddd.**

...

"Tawnystorm!" a young, energetic black speckled white kit exclaimed, bounding up to the deputy of their clan, Lizardclan. "Aren't you excited?!"

The tawny cat looked up, blinking in surprise. "Well-"

"Of _course_ she is, Fallenkit," the deputy's old mentor, Swiftwater, a blue-gray tom, purred from his corner of the clearing the clan resided in. Tawnystorm turned her green eyes to the elder, trying to interject as he continued. "Why, I think Starclan _destined_ her to become leader. Oh, she's a _natural_! Always so curious whilst I was training her, always running around, demanding that I follow her and let _her_ show _me_ the territory instead of the other way around. By Starclan! That reminds me of this one time when, not even a quarter moon into her training, this very cat you see before, got herself _stuck_ in a _juniper berry_ bush, and she _stayed there_ from sunrise _all the way_ to sundown, because she w-"

"Okay, okay, okay!" Tawnystorm suddenly exploded, chest fur fluffed from the embarrassment of the memory. "He gets it, Swiftwater. You're an _ancient_ cat if you remember things from when _I_ was a kit."

"Hey, now now, Tawnystorm. I'm not _that_ old."

"Deny it all you want! I was planning on retiring with you to the elders den in six moons. I was your third apprentice, Swiftwater, and if I was about to _join_ you there? ...You're _ancient_."

"Mmm, yes, true. I have lived quite a long time, haven't I? I've seen through my kits lives, and their kits lives, and their kits' kits lives. Four life cycles I have lived, and yet, I feel it not time to join them. I must see to it that you become leader, first, Tawnystorm, and then I will truly have lived through everything and can pass on peacefully once and for all, proud of the strong, noble deputy who is about to become leader that _I_ had had the honors of training."

Tawnystorm felt her chest fur fluff up again, and she quickly licked it down in embarrassment. "Oh, Swiftwater. You sure know how to compliment a cat."

Swiftwater let out a rumbling purr. "Of course. Now, you must best get going. Quiettongue seems to be getting a little impatient over there waiting to take you to the mooncrystal." The blue-gray tom flicked the tip of his tail towards a small thick-furred cream tom. His single bright blue, single black eyes were narrowed, and his feathery tail was flicking impatiently, his long fur whisking across the ground with each flick.

Tawnystorm felt herself become embarrassed once more, and she quickly ducked her head. "S-sorry, Quiettongue! I-I'm coming!" The tawny deputy quickly made her way over to the warrior-turned-medicine-cat. The silent tom snorted contemptuously, waiting for the deputy to get near him before lifting a paw and prodding her stomach and batting her muzzle once.

The deputy scowled at her brother's antics, though she knew what he was asking. "No, Quiettongue. I have not eaten, yet, as is tradition when receiving ones lives."

The cream tom nodded before turning around and exiting the camp, disappearing into the thick undergrowth surrounding the clearing. Tawnystorm took one last look around the clearing Lizardclan called camp, knowing it would be the last time she- no no no. The last time Tawny _storm_ would see it. Tomorrow, Tawny _star_ was going to see it for the very first time.

"Good luck, Tawnystorm!"

The deputy blinked and looked around until she spotted Fallenkit. The tom-kit was standing, paw resting on a moss ball and tail flicking excitedly. "Good luck!" he repeated.

The rest of the clan was beginning to gather around the edges of camp, now, and they all began to chant their encouragement to the deputy. A small purr rose up in her throat, and she gazed at her clanmates for a little while longer before turning around and following Quiettongue out of the camp.

 **...**

 **I know, I know! It's not technically done, yet! I'ma get it done here, son, Dandelionclan-senpais. ;-; I just want this up as a two-part thing.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I know, I know... I leave out a lot of details about cats (i.e. Fallenkit just suddenly vanishing to reappear at the end of the chapter)... I'm sorry. ;-;**

...

It took until nightfall for Tawnystorm and her littermate Quiettongue to make it to the Mooncrystal. The tawny she-cat marveled a its beauty, the blue gem sparkling on the ground, out in the open, stuck to a root of a tree that was no more, wrapped around it to cement its location. It was tiny, the size of one of Tawnystorm's toes, but by Starclan was it the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. She didn't understand why there was silver around it, though, or why it was on a tree root, but it must have been the warriors of Starclan that had put it there, so it must have belonged there.

Tawnystorm jumped when a feathery cream tail whisked by and flicked the top of her nose. The she-cat glared at her clans muted Medicine Cat, and she sat down. "It isn't time, yet, Quiettongue. I must wait for the crystal to start shining."

Her littermate snorted and sat down next to the tawny she-cat. The tom let out a yawn before giving Tawnystorm a small nudge. The she-cat let out a sigh of exasperation.

" _What_?" she asked, looking into her brothers bi-colored eyes. His single blue, single black eyes were shining with pride, and she knew that, if he could, Quiettongue would be purring up a storm. The tom lifted a paw and pointed up at the stars, and Tawnystorm sighed. "Yeah, I know. Mom and dad would be proud. I'm becoming leader of the clan, and you're the medicine cat. Well, you're not by choice, really," Quiettongue gave her a hard nudge at that, and Tawnystorm chuckled. "But... still." The she-cat sighed once more. "...I really hope they're there. I hope they're going to be there to give me my lives, like they were there to make you an official medicine cat after you got your voice taken from you."

Tawnystorm looked towards her brother to see him nodding in understanding. The tawny she-cat let out a small purr and went back to looking at the stars. The two littermates sat in silence for awhile before the she-cat finally sighed.

"It's almost time," she mewed, standing and stretching out her back. She sent a quick glance to the Mooncrystal and yawned, only to yelp when the gem was suddenly lit, shining blue streaks of light all around the two cats. Tawnystorm sent Quiettongue a small glance, only to scowl when she saw the amused expression on his face. The she-cat gave her littermate a small flick on the nose before gesturing him over. "Ready?"

The medicine cat nodded, and both the deputy and medicine cat of Lizardclan settled down in front of the gem, eyes closed, and touched their noses to the blue crystal, and then it all went dark.

=(•α•)=

Tawnystorm opened her eyes to see...

Nothing?

Confused, the deputy looked around. She saw rolling fields of tall grass, a few bushes and trees littering the plains. The edges of the fields were lined with trees, one side dark, demeaning pines that allowed no light to filter in - the Dark Forest -, and the other side lined with all sorts of trees. A river ran through the fields, coming from a lake at the center, and it ran along the edge of the forest - the bright one - before suddenly turning and disappearing into the large group of trees.

And yet, not a single cat was in sight, besides the she-cats brother, whom had appeared next to her.

Quiettongue seemed to notice the lack of cats as well, because he spoke Tawnystorm's thoughts to the exact. "Where... where _is_ everyone?" the long furred cream tom asked.

"I... I don't know." Tawnystorm brushed aside the feeling of joy she felt at hearing her brothers voice again and instead called out. "Hello? Is anyone there? Please, someone! Answer me!"

"Tawnystorm."

The she-cat sent a glance at her brother, wondering if he had spoken to her, but he looked just as confused as she. Turning around, the she-cat spotted a blue-gray tom, one she could never mistake for another.

"...Swiftwater?"

The old cat dipped his head. "Yes, young one," he mewed. "It is I."

"You were... you were just at camp, though!"

"That I was. But it was my time to pass on. I must see to it that you become leader, and quickly. I'm sure you have noticed the depressing lack of cats around here. Do you know why that is?"

Tawnystorm hesitated before glancing at her brother, whom gave her a helpless shrug in response. The she-cat turned back to the now young Swiftwater and shook her head. "N-no, I don't know why. Wh-why?"

Swiftwater glanced around before leaning in towards the two littermates before him. "They've been chased out," he hissed before standing back up straight. "But, alas, I must give you your lives. We have not a moment more to lose!"

The old tom padded forward so he may touch his nose to Tawnystorm's head. "By the power of Starclan, I grant you these nine lives in the place of my missing kin. Tawnystorm," Swiftwater continued, "I grant you your first life, your life of courage, so that no matter what you face, you'll always meet it head on, unwavering. In place of my kin, I must grant you your second life- the life of wisdom. You must use all that you have learned throughout the moons to guide your clan through hardship."

Already the lives Swiftwater was granting Tawnystorm seemed ominous, and she squeezed her eyes shut so she wouldn't attempt to run.

Swiftwater noticed, but he continued. "With this third life, I grant you power, so that you may know that whatever happens, you'll always have the power to change. This fourth life is motherhood, and though you had never been a mother, you are one now, the clan your kits that you must protect and fight for with your life and all the ones you have. Your fifth life is mercy, for you must show it to everyone you come across, else your clan will fall. The sixth life is strength, for you must continue to trudge forth, even if all seems lost. The seventh: truth. You must be able to tell truth from lie, and be able to bring about justice to those who lie to you. On that note, your eighth life shall be that of justice. Though you must show mercy on every cat you come across, you must be rightful with your justice, and only give extreme punishment to those who had been at fault more than thrice."

Swiftwater glanced over at Quiettongue, and the cream colored tom stared back. "With this ninth and final life, I give you healing. May you know every herb and how to use it, in case of times of crisis." The blue-gray tom removed his nose from Tawnystorm's head.

Tawnystorm's head felt light, and it took her awhile to lick Swiftwater's shoulder. When she did, her former mentor took a step back.

"With these lives, I strip you of your name. From this moment on, you are no longer Tawnystorm, but Tawny _star_ , leader of Lizardclan. We welcome you as leader."

Even though the ceremony was at an end, now, no cat chanted out the she-cat's new name. The air was thick, heavy with darkness. After awhile, Swiftwater began to speak once more.

"And now it is time for the prophecy." The blue-gray tom closed his eyes, thinking, searching for something, before he opened them again, eyes now swirling with a level of wisdom he hadn't had before. " _With the storm now gone, darkness shall fall. The light will escape the sky, and dust will cover all_." The look left the tom's eyes, and his gaze suddenly snapped to be over Tawnystar's shoulder. "You must leave, now," he growled. "Your clan needs you."

The blue-gray tom flicked his tail, and suddenly both the newly named Tawnystar and Quiettongue were swept up into darkness.

 **...**

 **I've settled on making this story full length! :V**


End file.
